120 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
Guggulsterones: Turn Up the Heat to
Burn More Fat
by Derek Cornelius
C
ommiphora mukul is an herb known
as guggul. Just as that plant has
unique and interesting names, so it
also has unique and interesting effects
on the human body.
Guggul is a tree that grows in India that exudes a
resinous sap from its bark. The resin has been used
for centuries in India’s traditional Ayurveda
medicine. In our modern world of advanced chem-
istry the sap is processed and purified and then
standardized for its active constituents—Z and E
guggulsterones. The two compounds are plant
sterols that have a high degree of human bioactivity
and have been shown in studies to affect many bio-
logical processes, including thyroid metabolism,
cholesterol management and dermal, or skin, func-
tion. In each of those areas guggulsterones were
shown to be highly effective modulators with near-
druglike potency.
Bodybuilders are concerned with not only build-
ing solid muscle tissue but also reducing the
amount of fat deposits. You may weigh 240 pounds
and have a tremendous amount of muscular devel-
opment, but if you have two inches of subcuta-
neous fat all over your body, you won’t look all that
great. You definitely won’t be aesthetically pleas-
ing, and some people might even call you dough-
boy. A thyroid-stimulating substance might be
exactly what you need.
I first became interested in guggulsterones when
I noticed studies on their thyroid-stimulating prop-
erties. I discovered that guggulsterones have a di-
rect stimulating action on the thyroid gland through
enzymatic mechanisms. One study concluded that
they’re a viable option for the treatment of hy-
pothyroidal conditions. The warm feeling, the
sweating and the rise in body temperature confirm
guggulsterone’s thyroid-stimulating ability. That’s
good news for those of us who are trying to lose
weight—especially adipose tissue, or fat stores.
When the thyroid gland is stimulated, it produces
more thyroid hormones, such as thyroxin, which
122 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
have a profound effect on the rate of metabolism,
including a direct catabolic effect on adipose tis-
sue. That means guggulsterones will stimulate
your thyroid to produce more thyroid hormones,
which in turn will raise your metabolic rate and
burn more fat.
Guggulsterones by themselves have been shown
to work very well for fat loss, but I’ve found a
combination that’s nothing short of amazing—
guggulsterones and an ECA stack such as
Adipokinetix. We already know that Adipokinetix
is an extremely potent fat burner, but it does its
work outside the realm of the thyroid. It made
sense to me that if one could combine the fat-burn-
ing effects of the thyroid hormones with those of
the adrenergic hormones (e.g., adrenaline), some-
thing very dramatic would result. Also, ECA
stacks tend to decrease the amount of thyroid hor-
mones circulating in the blood over time. Guggul-
sterones do a great job of inhibiting that reduction,
thus keeping all physiological fat-burning systems
operating at a maximum level.
The final ways in which guggulsterones can ben-
efit in the fight to burn fat involve ketogenic diets
and growth hormone use. Over time ketogenic
diets tend to reduce the thyroid’s effectiveness by
reducing the conversion of T4 to the more potent
T3. Guggulsterones won’t do anything to increase
the conversion, but they will cause more T4 re-
lease, which in turn should increase T3 to some ex-
tent. Furthermore, although T4 is not as potent a
metabolic regulator, it is functional and should in-
herently help boost the metabolic rate. Regarding
GH use, anyone who has taken this potent hor-
mone knows that it vastly reduces the amount of
thyroid hormones that are produced by the thyroid
gland. Again, although I’ve never tried it and don’t
know of anyone who has, guggulsterones should
help lessen the thyroid-hormone-reducing effect.
Although their fat-burning properties are what
we’re most interested in, guggulsterones also have
an extremely beneficial effect on cholesterol and
Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 123
 triglyceride levels. Numerous clinical studies have shown that they
Adipokinetix: Faster Fat Burning
Guggulsterones cause a 14 to 27 percent decrease in total cholesterol in a four-to-12-
week period, while triglyceride levels drop 22 to 30 percent. Even more
Through Biochemistry
have a direct interesting is the fact that guggulsterones support a high high-density Adipokinetix is a supplement that mobilizes and burns stimulate, for they ultimately affect fat loss in a positive
lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, level and a low low-density fat tissue without sacrificing muscle and organ tissue. You way. Another positive benefit of stimulating the beta-sub-2
stimulating lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, level. Study after study con- should be familiar with the ECA stack—a combination of receptors is an anticatabolic effect on proteinaceous tis-
firms that guggulsterones are as potent as many of the current prescrip - ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin. Adipokinetix is similar to sues. Thus, you simultaneously lose fat without sacrificing
action on the tion drugs for lowering LDL cholesterol. Unlike their drug ECA but is a vast improvement. It takes fat mobilization much or any muscle tissue.
counterparts, though, guggulsterones have absolutely no negative side and burning to a new level. Adipokinetix contains precise The other receptor that we’re interested in is the alpha-
thyroid gland effects. ratios of 1R,2S norephedrine HCl, caffeine, yohimbine HCl sub-2 receptor. Studies have shown that it blocks the mobi-
The cholesterol-reducing effect is important for anyone who’s inter- and now 50 milligrams of theophylline. The aspirin is left lization of adipose tissue. In terms of fat loss it’s the bad
through ested in keeping a healthy cardiovascular system—especially those out because some people are sensitive to guy. In fact, it’s the receptor that causes
who use steroidal compounds. Anabolic/androgenic steroids increase it. Furthermore, aspirin is cheap, easy to women to have a harder time losing adi-
enzymatic not only total cholesterol but also the ratio of LDL to HDL. get and can be easily added to the stack pose tissue—especially in their lower bod-
It’s hard to imagine a compound that beneficial having any more ben- if you can tolerate it. ies. Women have many more alpha-sub-2
mechanisms. efits, but guggulsterones have also been proven as effective as the drug The first two compounds—1R,2S receptors than men, and they have an
tetracycline in treating acne. In a 1994 study published in the Journal of norephedrine and caffeine—work to- even greater number in their lower bodies.
One study Dermatology, 20 patients with nodulocystic acne were randomly given gether in much the same way ephedrine To combat those nasty receptors, we need
either tetracycline or guggulsterones. Both were taken daily for three and caffeine work. The difference is that a compound that’s naturally occurring,
concluded that months, and both produced a progressive reduction in the lesions in the studies have shown norephedrine to be easy to get, potent, lacking negative side
majority of the patients. Tetracycline reduced them by 65.2 percent, the most potent and most thermogenic effects and able to block them. Yohimbine
they’re a viable while the guggulsterones produced a 68 percent reduction. of the ephedrine alkaloids. is the answer.
Who can benefit from guggul’s effects? Well, who wouldn’t like a Norephedrine also lacks some of the Yohimbine does all of the above with an
option for the better complexion? That’s especially true for people on anabolic/andro- central-nervous-system-stimulating ef- added bonus—it’s a proven aphrodisiac.
genic steroids, as those drugs tend to increase the skin’s oiliness and po- fects of ephedrine. In practical terms Thus, with Adipokinetix you can lose fat,
treatment of tential for acne. that means an individual will still feel a preserve muscle tissue and at the same
Where else can you find a compound that will help you lose fat, im- little wired but not nearly as much as he time increase your sex drive—regardless
hypothyroidal prove your cholesterol profile and at the same time improve your com- or she will feel with ephedrine. Another of your gender. Both men and women
plexion? I’ve plus for norephedrine is that it doesn’t benefit. Yohimbine vastly improves the ef-
conditions. looked long and have the negative associations that fectiveness of the norephedrine and the
hard and have yet ephedrine has—there are no Food and Drug Administr a- caffeine by allowing the increased adrenergic hormones to
to find even one tion restrictions and no negative publicity. In the coming do their job. Basically, it cripples your body’s negative feed-
competitor. You years norephedrine will definitely be the compound of back loop for maintaining your bodyfat.
should take 30 to choice for easy, effective weight loss—instead of the ECA The new formula also includes 50 milligrams of theo-
60 milligrams three stack, you’ll hear about the NCA stack. phylline per capsule. The interesting thing about theo-
times per day with Norephedrine and caffeine work synergistically to drasti- phylline is its potent diuretic effect. When it’s used in
meals, and always cally increase the body’s production of adrenaline and no- combination with an ephedrine alkaloid, a dual leaning ef-
use a product that radrenaline—the adrenergic hormones—which bind to the fect ensues—you burn excess bodyfat and eliminate excess
contains the high- adrenergic receptors. There are a number of different fluid, reducing fluid retention.
potency, naturally adrenergic receptors: the alpha sub 1, alpha sub 2, beta sub Currently, there’s no other product on the market like
extracted guggul. 1, beta sub 2 and beta sub 3. We are mainly interested in the Adipokinetix. I t’s unique and destined to be the future of
Editor’s note: alpha-sub-2, beta-sub-2 and beta-sub-3 receptors—for fat-loss pills.
Derek Cornelius is they’re the ones that mainly affect fat loss and mobiliza- —Derek Cornelius
a respected bio - tion. Editor’s note: Adipokinetix is available from Home Gym
chemist and the Among other things, the beta-sub-2 and beta-sub-3 re- Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008.
owner of Syntrax ceptors are responsible for the mobilization and burning of
Innovations Inc. adipose tissue; so they are the receptors that you want to

124 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 125

 Boost Your Stagnant Metabolism
by Daniel Gwartney, M.D.
L
osing bodyfat is one of a bodybuilder’s
main goals—and possibly the most
frustrating. After long periods of diet-
ing you often hit a plateau. What hap-
pens when fat loss comes to a
screeching halt? You redouble your efforts. You
fumble around with your diet, supplements, cardio
and so on, trying to increase your caloric expendi-
ture and metabolic rate.
Despite the best intentions, however, many of
those efforts are self-defeating. People who are try-
ing to lose weight often experience a decrease in
basal metabolic rate, or BMR, which is the number
of calories you burn at rest. The frustrating part is
that it happens following long periods of low-calo-
rie dieting; stimulant use, including ephedra and
caffeine; and excessive physical activity. Do any of
those scenarios sound familiar?
The decrease in BMR is directly related to the
level of thyroid hormone activity, which refers to
the levels of two hormones released by the thyroid
gland, thyroxine, or T4, and triiodothyronine, or
T3. T4 is a low-activity thyroid hormone, and T3 is
a highly active one. The overall thyroid hormone
activity involves the total amount of thyroid hor-
mones and their relative proportions. Optimal thy-
roid activity depends on necessary levels of the
hormones and the rate of conversion of T4 to T3.
Most thyroid hormone is released in the form of
T4 and needs to be converted to T3, a process that
takes place in the liver and is regulated by caloric
intake, rather than caloric expenditure. In simple
terms, if you are bringing in lots of fuel—i.e.,
food—you can turn up the heat, literally and figu-
ratively. If, however, you aren’t bringing in enough
calories, your body turns its thermostat down and
you burn fewer calories. It makes sense, especially
if you think of long-term survival.
So what can you do? Some advances have been
made in terms of useful training methods and sup-
plements. You can do your cardiovascular work
first thing in the morning, possibly after consum-
ing 200 to 400 milligrams of caffeine, along with
plenty of water. Unfortunately, some of the effec-
126 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
vent a decrease in T3 and an increase in resting metabolism in subjects
who are on low-energy diets. 7 That, in addition to phosphates’ positive If you aren’t
effects on creatine storage, buffering lactic acid and increasing ATP,
bringing in
tive thermogenic supplements have been taken off firmly establishes the value of including phosphates in Thyro Stak.
the market. The ECA (ephedrine, caffeine, aspirin) The product contains niacin, selenium and magnesium. Niacin plays
combinations provided good results for many peo- a role in supporting the co-factors necessary for energy production, enough
ple, but some people abused them. Most of the such as NAD(H) and NADP(H). More than 200 enzymes require NAD
other so-called fat-burners lack much promise. and NADP. NAD is involved in energy production, while NADP(H) is calories, your
Some products have been shown to be effective,
including essential fatty acids, soy-protein isolates body turns its
and the use of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates.
New, theoretically thermogenic combinations are thermostat
being introduced almost daily, including such Daniel Gwartney, M.D.
agents as yohimbine, tyrosine and phenylalanine. down and
Typically, they are added to ECA or a chemically
related compound like synephrine or pseu- you burn
doephedrine, so we may end up seeing the same
problems. fewer
All of those products, with the exception of soy-
protein isolates, interfere with thyroid activity. calories. It
That fact led to the development of Thyro Stak. It
includes five ingredients that have been shown to makes sense,
support or enhance thyroid activity even in low-
calorie environments. especially if
The main ingredient is an herb that has received
little attention in Western medicine, though it’s you think of
been used in Ayurvedic medicine for many cen-
turies. Commiphora mukul contains a class of ac- long-term
tive compounds known as guggulsterones,1,2,3,4,5,6
and, while there isn’t a great deal of published re- survival.
search on the compounds, what there is indicates
that guggulsterones, specifically guggulsterones Z
and E, have thyroid-stimulating activity.5,6 Subjects
in those studies showed an increase in thyroid hor-
mone levels and an increase in the conversion of
T4 to T3. They showed lower cholesterol and
blood triglyceride levels as well, further indicating
increased thyroid activity.
Thyro Stak also contains phosphates, which are
found in such high-energy compounds as ATP and
phosphocreatine. Thyroid activity is closely linked
to the amount of energy you have, so it’s a good
idea for everyone to take an ample amount of phos-
phates daily. Numerous studies have shown the ef-
fect of phosphate supplementation on metabolic
rate. Of particular interest is a study published in
1996, which demonstrated that phosphates can pre-
Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 127
 used in a variety of processes, including fatty acid synthesis, glutamate
Thyroid oxidation and antioxidant activity. Niacin has also been shown to de-
crease cholesterol levels. Some people are sensitive to the flushing ef-
activity is fect of high doses of niacin, but the effect is short-lived, and it’s
possible to build up a tolerance with continued usage.
closely linked Selenium is a mineral that has received a great deal of attention in re-
cent years. Selenium appears to have a major regulatory impact on the
to the enzyme 5’-deiodinase, which converts T4 to T3. 9 Low levels of seleni-
um can impair thyroid conversion—but excess selenium also has a neg-
amount of ative effect on thyroid conversion.
Magnesium is present in more than 300 identified enzymatic reac-
energy you
have, so it’s a
tions.10 It’s involved in glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and creatine phos-
phate production, among others. Magnesium even has a role in protein Magnesium
synthesis. Subjects in a 1992 study showed increases in strength and
lean body mass after a few weeks of increasing their magnesium in- even has a
take.11
There are a lot of valuable products available to bodybuilders these role in protein
days. Thyro Stak is the first supplement designed to optimize thyroid
function and metabolic control, and, as such, it can be help you break synthesis.
through those maddening diet plateaus.
Subjects in a
References
1992 study
1 Griffin, J., and Ojeda, S. Textbook of Endocrine Physiology, 3rd. ed.
New York: Oxford University Press. 1996 showed
2 Nityanand, S., et al. (1989). Clinical trials with gugulipid. A new hy-

good idea for polipidaemic agent. J Assoc Physicians India. 37.5:323-328. increases in
3 Gopal, K., et al. (1986). Clinical trials of ethyl acetate extract of

everyone to gum gugulu (gugulipid) in primary hyperlipidemia. J Assoc Physicians strength and
India. 34.4:249-251.
take an 4 Agarwal, R., et al. (1986). Clinical trials of gugulipid—a new hy- lean body
polipidemic agent of plant origin in primary hyperlipidemia. Indian J
ample Med Res. 84:626-634. mass after a
5 Tripathi, Y.B., et al. (1984). Thyroid stimulating action of Z-guggul-

amount of sterone obtained from Commiphora mukul. Planta Med. Feb(1):78-80. few weeks of
6 Tripathi, Y.B., et al. (1988). Thyroid stimulating action of Z-guggul-

phosphates sterone: mechanism of action. Planta Med. 54(4):271-277. increasing

7 Nazar, K., et al. (1996). Phosphate supplementation prevents a de-

daily. crease of triiodothyronine and increases resting metabolic rate during their
low-energy diet. J Physiol Pharmacol. 47.2:373-383.
8 Kohrie, J. (1994). Thyroid hormone deiodination in target tissues—a magnesium
regulatory role for the trace element selenium? Exp Clin Endocrinol.
102.2:63-89. intake.
9 Englisch, R., et al. (1995). Induction of glucose transport into rat

muscle by selenate and selenite: comparison to insulin. Diabetologia.

38.1(suppl):A133.
10 Shils, M.E.; Olson, J.A.; and Shuke, M. Modern Nutrition in Health

and Disease, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. 1994. 164-184.
11 Brilla, L.R., and Haley, T.F. (1992). Effect of magnesium supple-

mentation on strength training in humans. J Amer Col Nutr. 11.3.

128 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 129

 Burn More Fat With
Ephedrine and Ephedra
by Dan Duchaine
I
f Laura Fraser, the Good Houskeeping writer
who recently surveyed the most popular nat-
ural diet aids, 1 wanted to be objective about
ephedra, she could have looked up the word
in a Chinese dictionary. Ephedra, roughly
translates to “astringent” and “yellow.” Instead,
Fraser likes another definition for the Chinese
herb: “legalized speed.” Mainstream America has
discovered a better, nonprescription fat-burning
pill than the recently withdrawn dexfenfluramine
(Redux), but a barrage of government-sponsored
misinformation—paid for by our tax dollars—is
contradicting 75 years of scientific research, not to
mention 5,000 years of safe use in Chinese
medicine! It’s time to set the record straight, start-
ing with giving credit where credit is due: The man
who turned on the American public to this thermo-
genic health food is Paul Delia, a bodybuilder and
gym owner from Pascagoula, Mississippi, who’s
also the owner of the supplement company AST
Research.
Coulda Been Kazabol
“Matter of fact, I wasn’t thinking about thermo-
genesis,” Paul said. “I just wanted to be kick-ass
strong in the gym, but I didn’t wanna go fruitcake
with amphetamine use, so I started looking into the
body’s closest thing: adrenaline. I stumbled onto
ephedrine back in ’87. I read that it was a milder
but longer-lasting form of adrenaline, the body’s
numero-uno fright, flight or fight hormone. So I
asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
how I could sell ephedrine, which was an over-the-
counter asthma medicine at the time. What a pain!
The label had to have specific words, in a type that
was a certain size. I even had to have an FDA-ap-
proved label glued on—and it had to be bombproof
so it wouldn’t fall off. I was determined, though,
and Dymetadrine 25 was launched.”
The problem with over-the-counter, refined
ephedrine, is that you can’t stack just anything in
130 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
the tablet with it, unless you get an FDA approval
for the combination, like the ephedrine-and-theo-
phylline combinations in Bronkaid and Primatene
tablets. Right after AST’s Dymetadrine 25 sales
started shooting through the roof, Cybergenics put
out an herbal capsule stack containing ephedra, the
unrefined—and, more important, unregulated—
herb stacked with caffeine and called it Cyber-
Blast. Before then I’d thought that all Cybergenics
products were crap, but I had to admit that Cyber-
Blast was pretty good. It was a sneaky way of
stacking ephedrine and caffeine without the FDA’s
butting in—and keep in mind that up to this point
nobody had yet mentioned fat burning. I knew that
many health food stores were reluctant to sell pure
ephedrine, and even Cyber-Blast looked too drug-
like for them; so in 1992 Next Nutrition’s David
Jenkins and I resurrected my 10-year-old Ultimate
Orange and called it “Tang With a Bang.”
In the ’80s hardcore bodybuilders had this
maxim: Real bodybuilders don’t read—let alone
believe—scientific research. It was very hard to
look things up back then—before at-home Internet
Medline access. We had to go to the medical li-
braries and pour over hundreds of bound volumes
called Index Medicus—and all we found out was
that “Steroids don’t work.” If I’d been really on
the ball back then, I would have known about the
extensive history and refinement of the ephedrine-
and-caffeine theromogenic stack, but I was a
know-it-all, a dumbshit. Rather than discuss the
research in the haphazard way I discovered it,
here’s a chronological outline of the scientific de-
velopments regarding ephedra and ephedrine.
It’s Not Some Pinko-Commie Plot
Ephedrine is a white, refined nonprescription
drug. Ephedra is a soot-colored herbal, and there
are numerous ephedra varities—about 40—that
are grown in many desertlike climates. In America
we have a variant called Ephedra nevadensis, also
known as Mormon tea. Unrefined ephedra has two distinct isomers, l-
ephedrine and d-pseudoephedrine. For example, the Chinese mahuang Dr. Eriksen, a
(Ephedra sinica) is mostly l-ephedrine. Mormon tea, though, is mostly
the much-less-stimulating d-pseudoephedrine. So, when you buy the general
herbal variety, you get some pseudoephedrine with your ephedrine.
practitioner
The ephedrine alkaloid (2-methylamino-1-phenyl-1-propanol) was
introduced in the Western medical community in 1923.2,3 As its potency
is about 85 percent that of the body’s noradenaline (in itself a weak ade- working in the
naline), people tried ephedrine for a host of illnesses over the years:
asthma, heart block, narcolepsy, depression, hypotension4 and some small town,
forms of insulin-induced edema.5 At present the approved use of
ephedrine is for mild asthma. had noticed
Hamlet’s Hometown Hits the Big Time! that many of
The first instance of ephedrine being used as a weight-loss drug took his asthmatic
place in Elsinore, Denmark, in 1972.6 Dr. Eriksen, a general practitioner
working in the small town, had noticed that many of his asthmatic pa- patients had
tients had reduced appetites when they used a triple stack of ephedrine,
caffeine and phenobarbitol. The narcotic was included to quell the jit- reduced
ters—or it was a canny business move aimed at hooking the patients
into buying more. By 1977, 70,000 people were taking the so-called appetites
Elsinore pill. That same year the Danish government issued a “cease-
prescribing” warning to all doctors about the product after a number of when they
skin rashes, attributed to the phenobarbitol. were reported.
used a triple
Dissin’ Doc Eriksen
stack of
The revival of ephedrine and caffeine as an obesity-fighting drug has
been an unusually long and cautious process, considering there are nu- ephedrine,
caffeine and
phenobarbitol.
 merous studies from 1923 onward showing the effects of ephedrine and
They tried methylxanthines (caffeine and theophylline) on bronchial dilation in
humans. Even Dr. Eriksen didn’t make the connection that ephedrine
other ratios and caffeine formed a thermogenic compound that increased energy
expenditure. He thought it was simply an appetite suppressant. It
but wasn’t until 1981 that a traditional research study “proved” that
ephedrine with caffeine reduced appetite.6 Before that academia stalled
discovered the research, invoking the infamous NIH clause: Not-Invented-Here.
Poor Doc Eriksen was the Rodney Dangerfield of the fat-loss field.
that 20
Bat-Man (No, Not the Pedophile
milligrams of in the Comic Books)
ephedrine From the late ’70s the research was showing that ephedrine causes
energy expenditure in various laboratory animals, but it took about
gets a nine years for human studies to tart appearing.7,2,8,9 Obscuring the cen-
tral issue was a debate that was going on at the same time about the ex-
maximal istence in humans of brown adipose tissue (BAT), which is a heat
regulator in many mammals. Some of the initial research was incorrect
thermogenic in showing that humans had BAT between their shoulder blades, as the
heat increase that appeared to take place was due to increased blood
effect flow. Humans do have a small amount of BAT surrounding their kid-
neys,10 but its thermogenic effect on the whole body is small.
with 200 When scientists agreed that ephedrine was thermogenic in humans,
they still had no firm recommendations of ephedrine dosage. Some
milligrams of studies showed the best thermogenic response at the lowest dosage, 10
milligrams.2 Others showed that 20 milligrams created no increase in
caffeine. Note heat.
that those If It Works for Asthma…
were the You’d think that a scientist would have thought of the obvious soon-
er: If ephedrine and caffeine combinations work well together in treat-
amounts used ing asthma, they should be similarly effective for thermogenic benefits.
Caffeine is thermogenic at the higher dosages, 11,12,13,5 so the ephedrine-
in the ’92 and-caffeine stack should have at least an additive thermogenic ef-
fect.14,15,16,17,9,18 It was only in 1992 that a team of Danish researchers
study. established the ideal synergistic ratio of ephedrine to caffeine at 1-to-
10.2 They tried other ratios but discovered that 20 milligrams of
ephedrine gets a maximal thermogenic effect with 200 milligrams of
caffeine. Note tht those were the amouynts used in the ’92 study. Many
bodybuilders tend to double the dose to 40 milligrams and 400 mil-
ligrams, but there’s no evidence that the greater amounts cause a
greater energy expenditure. Then, again, some people do it that way be-
cause they like it.
132 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
The ECA Stack Is Iffy
Although
Methylxanthines weren’t the only substances that showed promise
when they were stacked with ephedrine. There was also aspirin. The many of the
studies are wildly conflicting on that subject.19,20 An initial study in the
’80s showed a doubled thermogenic response in obese women, but an- popular
other similar experiment showed no enhanced effect in lean women.
What’s more, although many of the popular herbal ephedrine stacks in- herbal
clude the aspirin precursor white willow bark, there are no published
studies showing that ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin are any better than ephedrine
ephedrine and caffeine alone.21
stacks include
So What’s the Damn Problem?
the aspirin
If ephedrine has been around for so many years, and the research
shows it to be effective and safe for weight loss, why is it that Good precursor
Housekeeping and the FDA have a vendetta against the ephedrine-and-
caffeine stack? Many doctors like to say that it’s dangerous, but they’re white willow
the same doctors who embraced dexfenfluramine, even though the pub-
lished research showed that ephedrine and caffeine was not only more bark, there
thermogenic but was longer lasting as well (50 weeks vs. Redux’s six-
month-only effects).10 I don’t usually cast stones, but we wouldn’t have are no
an ephedrine problem if Herbal Ecstasy hadn’t become so popular.
When ephedrine was used only by asthmatics, truck drivers, athletes published
and dieters, it was pretty much below the horizon of public scrutiny, but
the Herbal-X variants appealed to the worst possible segment of the studies
population: adolescents. Many teenagers have a veneer of invulnerabil-
ity, especially if a powerful stimulant is declared to be “all natural” and showing that
so, persumably, safe. Teenagers plus natural high equals abuse plus
emergency room visits. Although I’m no friend of the FDA, I feel that ephedrine,
the agency could have moved faster against those Herbal-X-type prod-
ucts, the way it did when the herbal fen-phens hit the market. caffeine and
The FDA can’t ban ephedrine outright, but it can control the claims
made on the labels. The agency has been threatening to take control of aspirin are
herbal ephedra—calling for a maximum dose of eight milligrams, not
allowing it to be combined with additional stimulants and requiring any better
with a label warning that users should take no more than three doses a
day. The way the FDA arrived at those doses is not, obviously, based on than
any published research. Fortunately, at this point ephedrine-and-caf-
feine stack is still here. ephedrine
How Ephedrine Really Works and caffeine
If you didn’t have a sympathetic nervous system, which branches off alone.
your middle spinal column, ephedrine wouldn’t work. No matter, as
you’d be dead anyway. The sympathetic nervous system controls all
those automatic bodily functions you don’t think about: heart rate, res-
Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 133
 piration, perspiration, even bowel movements. One of the more inter-
Ephedrine’s esting aspects of the sympathetic nerves is what they do when you eat Thyroid
too many carbohydrates. Beyond the digestion energy and glucose
span of being converted into either glycogen or triglyceride, some of the extra hormone is
calories are burned off as heat. 22,7,8 It’s the thermogenic effect of carbo-
activity is hydrates—though, technically, it’s insulin that trips the thermogenic elevated after
switch. The sympathetic nerves secrete a milder form of adrenaline
about six called noradrenaline, which needs hormone receptors to work. The re- about four
ceptors in question are called andrenergic receptors, and the human
hours. body has two main types and a number of further subdivisions: alpha (1 weeks of
and 2) and beta (1, 2, 3, and 4).
Although a In animals, switching on the beta-receptors with noradrenaline via in- chronic
sulin burns excess fat calories in beta-1, -2 and -3 receptors, especially
water- in the BAT areas. Humans, having very little BAT, mostly burn glucose ephedrine
and glycogen in skeletal muscle and the liver in something called the
insoluble Cori cycle, in which carb calories are converted to lactate, and recycled use. Get this,
back into glucose and glycogen in the liver.23,10
alkaloid in its Ephedrine was originally thought to be simply a stimulator of nora- however:
drenaline secretion from the sympathetic nerves. Further research
natural state, showed that it also acted directly on the andrenergic receptors—mostly primary substance that intensifies ephedrine’s thermogenic effect.13 After 12
the betas but with some alpha effects as well. Chemists have produced better caffeines that have greater PDE inhibiti-
it’s modified Ephedrine’s span of activity is about six hours. Although a water-in- tion (the most promising is enprofylline), which doesn’t influence heart weeks of
soluble alkaloid in its natural state, it’s modified with a hydrochloride rate as much, but none of the methylxanthine derivatives have been ap-
with a or sulfate salt in the refined forms for faster absorption. Herbal proved yet. Other substances, like forskolin, can potentiate ephedrine, ephedrine use
ephedras take longer to reach the bloodstream. forskolin has a greater adenosine-blocking effect while affecting the
hydrochloride The odd thing is that ephedrine is considered a fat burner, but it does heart more.24 thyroid
that by using up the glucose and the glycogen in the skeletal muscle
or sulfate salt and liver. Only an insignificant amount of direct fat burning occurs in
What About Aspirin? hormone is
the BAT around the kidneys.
in the refined Ephedrine actually raises both blood glucose and insulin.24 Most low- The transient autocrine hormones called prostaglandins can, in some lower than
calorie diets can cause increased nitrogen excretion, but just the oppo- cases, inhibit the release of noradrenaline. As mentioned above, some
forms for site happens when you add ephedrine to the low-calorie equasion. The obese women respond dramatically to aspirin stacked with the normal—but
effects are similar to those of growth hormone or people on a low-calo- ephedrine in studies, while less obese women didn’t fare as well. You
faster rie diet: It makes the body rely on fat calories without sacrificing amino don’t have to wait for further studies to find out what works for you. thermogenesi
acids in the muscle for glucose production. Once you’ve established a consistent body temperature rise with
absorption. ephedrine and caffeine (a $6 digital mouth thermometer will give you s is greater
Where Does Caffeine Fit In? the info nicely), you can try adding 300 milligrams of aspirin and see if
Herbal your body temperature shows an increase from the previous ephedrine- than it was
The body has built-in regulating mechanisms so that noradrenaline and-caffeine elevation.
ephedras take secreted from the sympathetic nerves is modulated in its effect. during the
Methylxanthines all seem to work on one of the energy precursors in
The Really Weird Stuff About Ephedrine
longer to the cells, cyclic andenosine-monophosphate (cAMP), in conjunction initial
with the increase in cAMP due to the effect of noradrenaline on the The andrenergic receptors are distributed through most cells and or-
reach the beta-2 receptors. There was a debate over the years as to what the pri- gans in the body. At times the beta stimulation from ephedrine can actu- metabolic
mary action of the methylxanthines are: They either block adenosine or ally increase some hormones. For example, thyroid hormone is elevated
bloodstream. inhibit phoshodiesterase (PDE), the enzyme that degrades the phos- after about four weeks of chronic ephedrine use. Get this, however: rise.
phate in cAMP. Caffeine has both effects, but PDE turned out to be the After 12 weeks of ephedrine use thyroid hormone is lower than nor-

134 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 135

 mal—but thermogenesis is greater than it was during the initial
One of metabolic rise. What the hell is happening?
Eventually, many of the beta-1 and beta-2 receptors will resist the
the chief ephedrine and noradrenaline stimulation, but the body won’t freeze you
solid. when beta-1s and beta-2s are downregulated, another thermo-
drawbacks to genic receptor increases. When that odd effect was reported in humans
in 1995, the researchers assumed it was the fat-burning beta-3
most low- receptor.26 Recently, however, the beta-3 premise was discounted when
the human-specific beta-4 receptor was discovered.
calorie diets
More Information
is the
Studies have shown that only caffeine–and none of its metabolites,
reduction of the chief one being paraxanthine—is thermogenic with ephedrine.
What’s more, research shows that part of the grapefruit rind called
high-density naringin puts off the breakdown of caffeine to paraxanthine—and
grapefruit blossome are even better—so some ephedra stacks have that
lipoprotein additive.
One of the chief drawbacks to most low-calorie diets is the reduction
(HDL), the so- of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the so-called good cholesterol.
Adding ephedrine to a low-calorie diet restores HDL to near normal
called good levels.16
cholesterol. The DEA Plays Hardball
Adding The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) doesn’t like
ephedrine. Technically, a smart criminal chemist can make ephedrine
ephedrine to into amphetamine. To thwart that, many of the refined ephedrines con-
tain another ingredient that makes them almost impossible to convert:
a low-calorie guaifenesin (a mucous-expeller, yuck!). Since the summer of 1997 the
DEA has required that all interstate shippers of ephedrine register with
diet restores the agency. A health food store doesn’t need a DEA license to sell
ephedrine for in-store sales, but anyone who wants to sell it to out-of-
HDL to near state customers via mail order has to have that license. the punch line
is, the DEA stopped the issuing licenses after August ’97.
normal levels.
Worst-Case Scenario
What will happen if the FDA gets every one of its proposed regula-
tions governing ephedra approved? Will products like Ultimate Orange
or Twinlab’s Ripped Fuel become illegal? Not to worry: There are
plenty of other naturally occurring compounds just as potent as
ephedrine and caffeine—or more so.27
What About Herbal Fen-Phen?
In essence, the various herbal fen-phens are in the spirit of the origi-
136 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide
nal Elsinore pill: two stimulants (ephedra and caffeine) with a mild an-
tidepressant (Saint-John’s-wort). While there’s no research showing Once you
that the antidepressant makes a stack more thermogenic, overstimula-
tion caused by the ephedrine and caffeine is a very valid complaint establish a
from many users. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the anti-anxiety
herbs like red ginseng didn’t turn out to be a better choice. consistent
Bottom Line: The Best Ephedra Stack, Bar None body
Here are some tipe for fnding a good product. temperature
1) Read the label thoroughly. Ephedras can vary in potency. Multiply
the total ephedra per does by the potency percentage to determine the elevation with
amount of active ephedrine (335 milligrams of raw ephedra times 6 per-
cent gives you 20 milligrams of active ephedrine). The ideal does for ephedrine and
the thermogenic effect is to take about 20 milligrams three times a day,
or every six hours. If you use more, you may get a better workout due caffeine, you
to more contractile force in the muscles, but you won’t necessarily get a
better thermogenic effect. can try 300
2) The caffeine dose should be 10 times the ephedrine dose. You’ll
have to do the same arithmetic to arrive at the active caffeine content. milligrams of
The two chief sources of herbal caffeine are kola nut and guarana.
3) Once you establish a consistent body temperature elevation with aspirin to see
ephedrine and caffeine, you can try 300 milligrams of aspirin to see if
you get a further thermal enhancement. if you get a
4) Refined naringin is not generally available. If you want to try a
grapefruit juice chaser, the more bitter the better. further
5) Take the product continuously for a while—don’t stop for a while.
Ephedrine-caffeine thermogenesis is better at 12 weeks and is still sig- thermal
nificant at week 50! If the animal-based research holds true, downregu-
lating the beta-1 and beta-2 receptors creates more true fat-burning enhancement.
receptors in the body.
6) The ephedrine-and-caffeine combination has proven unusually
safe over the years. Some individuals who are prone to cardiac ail-
ments, hypertension and other medical conditions should stay away
from all stimulants. Yes, strokes and heart attacks have occurred while
people were using ephedrine—and some cases the victims were seem-
ingly healthy individuals. It appears to be a random occurrence. One
case of death from stroke involved a man who used 10 to 20 25-mil-
ligram ephedrine tablets a day for 23 years, while another fatality oc-
curred with a healthy 15-year-old football player.
Just remember that herbs and plants are potent drugs. Bodybuilders
and dieters have access to a vast unregulated pharmacy called a health
food store; however, the drugs are only safe when used with caution
and common sense. But don’t wait for the Good Housekeeping Seal of
Approval.
Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 137
 Bodybuilders 1
References
Fraser, L. (1998). The herbal weight-loss scam. Good Housekeeping. 226.2:103.
Fat-Burning Q&A
2 Astrup, A.; Tourbo, S.; Cannon, S.; Hein, P.; Madsen, J. (1990). Thermogenic, metabolic, and cardio-
vascular effects of a sympathomimetic agent, ephedrine. Curr Therapeutic Res. 48.6:1087-1100.

and dieters 3 Pickup, M.E.; May, C.S.; Ssendagire, R.; Paterson, J.W. (1976). The pharmacokinetics of ephedrine
after oral dosage in asmatics receiving acute and chronic treatment. British J Clin Pharm. 3:123-134.
4 Bruno, A.; Nolte, K.B.; Chapin, J. (1993). Stroke associated with ephedrine use. Neurology. 43:1313-
Q: How do I lose my love handles and get
1316.
that lean, ripped-waisted look?
have access to 5 Hopkins, D.F.C.; Cotton, S.J.; Williams, G. (1993). Effective treatment of insulin-induced edema using
ephedrine. Diabetes Care. 16.7:1026-1028.
A: Most people make drastic cuts in their calo-
6 Malchow-Miller; Larsen, S.; Hey, H.; Stokholm, K.H.; Juhl, E.; Quaade, F. (1981). Ephedrine as an rie intake when they’re motivated to lose
a vast anorectic: the story of the Elsinore pill. Intern J Obesity. 5:183-187.
7 Astrup, A.; Lundsgaard, C.; Madsen, J.; Christensen, N.J. (1985). Enhanced thermogenic responsive-
ness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 42:83-94.
weight, and they lose lots of muscle. They also
8 Morgan, J.B.; York, D.A.; Wasilewska, A.; Portman, J. (1982). A study of the thermic responses to a have no energy and eventually go on an eating
unregulated meal and to a sympathomimetic drug (ephedrine) in relation to energy balance in man. British J Nutr.
47:21-32.
binge because their cravings careen out of con-
9 Pasquali, R.; Cesari, M.P.; Melchionda, N.; Stefanini, C.; Raitano, A.; Labo, G. (1987). Does ephedrine trol due to the starvation mechanism. Here are
pharmacy promote weight loss in low-energy-adapted obese women? Intern J Obesity. 11:163-168.
10 Astrup, A.; Bylow, J.; Christensen, N.J.; Madsen, J. (1984). Ephedrine-induced thermogenesis in man:
no role for intrascapular brown adipose tissue. Clin Sci. 66:179-186.
the things you need to do to lose fat while main-
11 Astrup, A.; Tourbo, S.; Cannon, S.; Hein, P.; Breum, L.; Madsen, J.; (1995). Caffeine: a double-blind, taining muscle:
called a placebo-controlled study of its thermogenic, metabolic and cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers.
Am J Clin Nutr. 51:759-767.
1) Gradually cut your calories. Each week re-
12 Beavo, J.A.; Rogers, N.L.; Crofford, O.B.; Hardman, J.G.; Sutherland, E.W.; Newman, E.V. (1970). Ef- duce your daily intake by 50 to 100. That should
health food fects of xanthine derivatives on lipolysis and adenosine 3’, 5’- monophosphate phosphodiesterase activi -
ty. Mol Pharm. 6.6:597-603.
13 Dulloo, A.G.; Seydoux, J.; Girardier, L. (1992). Potentiation of the thermogenic antiobesity effects of
prevent the starvation mechanism from kicking
ephedrine by dietary methylxanthines: adenosine antagonism or phosphodiesterase inhibition?
in and help you preserve muscle.
store; Metabolism. 41.11:1233-1241.
14 Astrup, A.; Tourbo, S.; Cannon, S.; Hein, P.; Madsen, J. (1991). Thermogenic synergism between
2) Don’t eat the same thing every day. Slight
ephedrine and caffeine in healthy volunteers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Metabolism. calorie fluctuations will also help keep the star-
however, the 40.3:323-329.
15 Breum, L.; Pedersen, J.K.; Ahlstrim, M. (1994). Comparison of an ephedrine/caffeine combination
and dexfenfluramine in the treatment of obesity. A double-blind multi-centre trial in general practice.
vation mechanism at bay.
Inter J Obesity. 18:99-103.
3) Don’t reduce your daily calories below
drugs are 16 Buemann, B.; Marckmann, P.; Christensen, N.J.; Astrup, A. (1994). The effect of ephedrine plus caf-
feine on plasma lipids and lipoproteins during a 4.2 MJ/day diet. Intern J Obesity. 18.5:329-332.
2,200. Eating less than that can reduce your nu-
17 Dulloo, A.G.; Miller, D.S. (1986). The thermogenic properties of ephedrine/methylxanthine mix- trient intake to levels that are too severe for a
only safe tures: human studies. Intern J Obesity. 10:467-481.
18 Toubro, S.; Astrup, A.; Breum, L.; Quaade, F. (1993). The acute and chronic effects of ephedrine/caf-
feine mixtures on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism in humans. Intern J Obesity. 17.s3:S73-S77.
healthy body. Steve Holman.
19 Dulloo, A.G.; Miller, D.S. (1987). Aspirin as a promoter of ephedrine-induced thermogenesis: poten- 4) If you need to get leaner after you’ve been
when used tial use in the treatment of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 45:564-569.
20 Horton, T.J.; Geissler, C.A. (1991). Aspirin potentiates the effect of ephedrine on the thermogenic re-
holding your daily calories at 2,200 for a few weeks, gradually ramp up your activity. Fast walking is
sponse to a meal in obese but not lean women. Intern J Obesity. 15:359-366. probably the best fat burner around. If you do it on an empty stomach—say, first thing in the morning—
with caution 21 Horton, T.J.; Geissler, C.A. (1991). Post-prandial thermogenesis with ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin
in lean, predisposed obese and obese women. Intern J Obesity. 15.5:359-366.
22 Astrup, A.; Madsen, J; Holst J.J.; Christensen, N.J. (1986). The effect of chronic ephedrine treatment
it’s even better. No matter when you do your aerobic exercise, always try to fast for a few hours before-
on substrate utilization, the symphathoadrenal activity and energy expenditure during glucose-induced
hand. That will force your body to use fat for fuel rather than the glucose circulating in your bloodstream.
and common thermogenesis in man. Metabolism. 35.3:260-265.
23 Astrup, A.; Bylow, J.; Madsen, J.; Christensen, N.J. (1985). Contribution of BAT and skeletal muscle to
5) Weight train five to seven days a week. The more often you jolt your metabolism with weight train-
thermogenesis induced by ephedrine in man. Am J Phys. 248.5:E507-E515. ing, the more fat you’ll lose. Remember, muscle tissue is the true fat incinerator.
sense. 24 Sacca, L.; Vigorito, C.; Cicala, M.; Ungaro, B.; Sherwin, R.S. (1982). Mechanisms of epinephrine-in-
duced glucose intolerance in normal humans. J Clin Investigation. 69:284-293.
25 Nishikawa, T.; Kasajima, T.; Kanai, T. (1991). Potentiating effects of forskolin on the cardiovascular
6) You have to eat small, balanced meals and eat them often. Eating five to six times a day is perfect.
teratogenicity of ephedrine in chick embryos. Toxicology Letters. 56:145-150.
See the back of this book for a complete diet.
26 Liu, Y.L.; Tourbo, S.; Astrup, A.; Stock, M.J. (1995). Contribution of §3-adrenoreceptor activation to
ephedrine-induced thermogenesis in humans. Intern J Obesity. 19:678-685.26 Cohn, J.N. (1965). Compara-
7) Strive to eat balanced meals at most of your feedings—45 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 25
tive cardiovascular effects of tyramine, ephedrine and norepinephrine in man. Circul Res. 16:174-182. percent fat. Lean more toward protein, especially as the day wears on, as it will help spare muscle tissue.
27 Cohn, J.N. (1965). Comparative cardiovascular effects of tyramine, ephedrine and norepinephrine in
man. Circul Res. 16:174-182.. Carbs eaten at night tend to favor fat deposition, so cut carbs in the late afternoon and evening.
Additional References 8) Never eat carbs alone, and always look for low-glycemic carbs—the ones that don’t shoot up your
Astrup, A.; Breum, L.; Toubro, S.; Hein, P.; Quaade, F. (1992). The effect and safety of an
ephedrine/caffeine and placebo in obese subjects on an energy-restricted diet. A double-blind trial. Int J
insulin levels, which can cause more fat deposition.
Obesity. 16:269-277. 9) Try not to eat anything after 7 p.m.
Bukowiecki, L.; Jahjah, L.; Follea, N. (1982). Ephedrine, a potential slimming drug, directly stimulates
thermogensis in brown adipocytes via §-adrenoreceptors. Intern J Obesity. 6:343-350. 10) Use a couple of good fat-burning supplements, such as Syntrax Innovations’ Adipokinetix and
Chait, L.D. (1994). Factors influencing the reinforcing and subjective effects of ephedrine in humans.
Psychopharmacology. 113:381-387.
Muscle-Link’s Thyro Stak. If you can’t afford one of those, try two cups of coffee before you train. The
Fredholm, B.B. (1985). On the mechanism of cation of theophylline and caffeine. Acta Medica Scandi-
navica. 217:149-153.
caffeine will step up the fat burning.
Jaedig, S.; Henningsen, N.C. (1990). Increased metabolic rate in obese women after ingestation of —Steve Holman, editor in chief, IRONMAN
potassium, magnesium- and phosphate-enriched orange juice or injection of ephedrine. Intern J Obesity.
15:429-436.
Pasquali, R.; Casimirri, R.; Melchionda, N.; Grossi, G.; Bortoluzzi, L.; Morselli-Labate, A.M.; Stefanni,
C.; Raitano, A. (1992). Effects of chronic administration of ephedrine during very-low-calorie diets on en -
Q: I’ve ordered Muscle-Link’s Thyro Stak. How exactly do I use it?
ergy expenditure, protein metabolism and hormone levels in obese subjects. Clin Sci. 82:85-92. A: Thyro Stak, which is essentially a blend of guggulsterones and phosphates along with other support-
ing nutrients, is designed to help maintain a normal thyroid function in conditions that would otherwise

138 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 139

 Daniel Gwartney, M.D.

You have to combine Thyro Stak with some effort to get the results. If
Guggulsterones you’re consuming 3,000 calories a day or hundreds of grams of carbs, While most
Thyro Stak may not make a difference, as your body is not stressed. It
have been needs to recognize a low-energy state that will cause it to lower the ac- amino acids
tivity of the thyroid before the “normalizing” action of Thyro Stak will
shown to take effect. I wish I could offer you a magic pill. It would make me mil- are
lions, as few people want to put forth any honest effort. For those of you
stimulate the who do, Thyro Stak will help you keep the fires burning, even when metabolized in
you’re pushing yourself to the max.
thyroid gland I recommend you keep your calories at near maintenance, give or take the liver,
a couple hundred, exercise vigorously and push the water for eight
to release weeks. By then your body will probably have adapted by shutting down BCAAs can
your thyroid activity. That will happen faster if you’re not sleeping well
thyroid or you use a stimulant for weight loss like the ephedrine-caffeine-and- bypass liver
aspirin stacks or Adipokinetix. You don’t need to stop using those when
hormone. you start using Thyro Stak, however, although you should watch your metabolism
dose response because you may become resensitized to the stimulant
Phosphates properties of those products. Increasing the dose of Thyro Stak will not and go directly
provide any additional benefits. Unless you want to resort to pharma-
have been ceuticals, which I don’t recommend, you have to give your programs a into muscle,
little time and a lot of effort.
shown to I don’t recommend the ECA stacks because of the possibility for ad- where they
verse reactions; however, since they facilitate fat loss by increasing the
increase the metabolism and working directly on the fat cells, users of both Thyro serve as
Stak and ECAs will probably see greater results.
rate of —Daniel Gwartney, M.D. nitrogen
conversion of Q: Do branched-chain amino acids burn fat? donors for the
A: The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) include leucine,
the low-activity isoleucine and valine, and they are so named because of their chemical synthesis of
structures. The recommended dietary allowance for BCAAs amounts to
thyroid cause a decrease in thyroid activity. Thyro Stak, unlike the pharmaceuti- about three grams a day, but that doesn’t take into account people who other vital
cal preparations Synthroid and Cytomel, is not a source of active thy- regularly engage in intense exercise.
hormone, T4, roid hormone. That’s an important distinction. Thyro Stak will allow BCAAs have several unique properties that other amino acids don’t amino acids. In
your body to maintain a degree of regulation, rather than subjecting it to have. For example, while most amino acids are metabolized in the liver,
to the higher- whatever dose people assault their bodies with in an attempt to meet BCAAs can bypass liver metabolism and go directly into muscle, where doing so, they
weight-loss or bodyshaping goals. they serve as nitrogen donors for the synthesis of other vital amino
activity T3. Guggulsterones have been shown to stimulate the thyroid gland to re- acids, such as glutamine and alanine. In doing so, they exert an anti- exert an
lease thyroid hormone. Phosphates have been shown to increase the rate catabolic action in muscle.
of conversion of the low-activity thyroid hormone, T4, to the higher-ac- BCAAs may also aid muscular endurance by opposing the entrance anticatabolic
tivity T3. If you have a normal thyroid function, your body keeps your of free tryptophan into the brain. Tryptophan, like the BCAAs, is an es-
thyroid at a normal level when it’s in a well-fed and rested state. When sential amino acid; however, in the late stages of exercise, when action in
you subject yourself to stress, thyroid function and activity drop, giving BCAAs begin to be used as a fuel substrate, more tryptophan enters the
you that sluggish state in which you have no energy, and fat loss grinds brain, where it’s rapidly converted into serotonin, a brain neurotrans- muscle.
to a standstill. That stress may come from dropping calories below mitter that imparts a feeling of fatigue. Since BCAAs block the entrance
maintenance, dropping carbs, using stimulants, lacking sleep, mental of tryptophan into the brain, the theory is that taking them before ex-
stress, etc. tended exercise sessions will prevent premature fatigue.

140 Bodybuilding Supplement Guide Bodybuilding Supplement Guide 141